It's Always Suprising
by Seeker141516
Summary: Harry has a sister! Neither of them know..yet. until she comes to Hogwarts, raised by the Flamels and one year behind Harry. PLEASE reveiw!!!
1. Nanny Malfoy

"Take her, please Nicholas. We need you to do this. We'll come back and get her when he has passed. We cannot tell you where we will be hiding…there might be spies, Nicholas. We know we can trust you. We have Harry. Please…please…please...please.."  
  
"Please!" yelled Ron as he stomped up the stairs to wake Harry up. "Mum, there is no way I'm going over there!"  
  
"Ronald Weasley! It is not my choice! Dumbledore's orders! Come down here this instant or else!"  
  
"Or else what?" Ron whispered under his breath as he hastily turned on his heel and stomped back downstairs.  
  
Harry woke up suddenly, his head burning. He rose, got dressed, and slumped downstairs sleepily. He nearly tripped over Ginny at the foot of the stairs, who was playing with a set of Ron's old chocolate frog cards.  
  
"Sorry.." she whispered when she saw him.  
  
He just grinned groggily and messed up her hair before heading to the kitchen.  
  
Ron was slamming things around the kitchen as he looked for breakfast.  
  
"Never in my life.." he kept saying under his breath. He thumped a gallon of milk onto the aging wooden table.  
  
"Ah, milk!" said Harry, trying to keep things lighthearted.  
  
"My own mum…cruel.. wretched thing to do…"  
  
"Um, Ron?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"What exactly does your mum want you to do?"  
  
"More like forcing me," Ron answered. "She's making me deliver a package to the Malfoy's!" he added with disgust.  
  
"What?" Harry said, spitting out his milk in a spew on the floor.  
  
" 'Dumbledore's orders' " he spat. " I dunno why hey just don't send it there by owl, I asked Mum and she reckons its "too big" for Errol. Whatever. I'll just knock on the door, give it to one of the thousands of maids they have, and run. Want to come with me? We don't get to Diagon Alley until next week." He poured himself a glass of milk and stuck the gallon back in the refrigerator.  
  
"Time to go, Ron!"  
  
Ron sighed heavily and took a package out of the cupboard under the stairs and yelled a goodbye to his mom, who was cleaning the bathroom. He took a pinch of Floo Powder and threw it into the flames, shouted "Malfoy!" and was gone. Harry did the same and suddenly stumbled out of a stone archway to a huge, magnificent mansion. A cold stone walkway led to a dungeon- like door. When Ron knocked, a silky voice called "Coming!" and the door opened.  
  
It was Draco.  
  
"Weasley! Potter!" he half shouted, stunned. "What are you doing at my house?!"  
  
Ron shoved the package into Malfoy's arms.  
  
"Here. Take it. Like I even wanted to come here anyway."  
  
"Draco, dear! Who's at the door?" called a woman's voice. Malfoy looked somewhat embarrassed and tried to close the door.  
  
"No, no, dear. Never close doors on guests." A plump, brown haired middle aged woman pulled open the door and looked Ron and Harry over.  
  
"Are these your friends, Draco dear?" she asked.  
  
"No!" Malfoy said, turning pink again.  
  
"Well, aren't you going to introduce me?"  
  
He sighed heavily.  
  
"Potter, Weasley, this is…Nanny."  
  
"Nice to meet you," they said together, suppressing their uncontrollable laughter.  
  
"Best be off," Ron said. "Its almost time for lunch."  
  
"Good idea." Said Malfoy, shutting the door.  
  
Almost as soon as they stepped out of the fire in the Weasley's home, both boys were rolling on the ground, red in the face and gasping for breath.  
  
"Mum…Mum…Ginny…you have got to hear this.." Ron said, choking. "Malfoy has…" they had another spurt of laughter. "has…a… NANNY!"  
  
"Aahahaha!" Harry laughed again, holding himself up on a chair.  
  
Suddenly a large tawny owl pecked at the glass. Harry, still gasping, went over and relived its burden. It was addressed to him and Ron. He called Ron over and slid the letter open. It was from Hermoine. It looked like she was in a great hurry to write it, and it was messier than her usual hand.  
  
Dear Harry and Ron,  
  
Wonderful news! I've just received a letter to attend H.F.T.C.(Hogwarts Future Teachers Camp!) it is not assured that I will become a teacher at Hogwarts, but they want me to have the possibility and knowledge behind it. Professor McGonagall says that by the time I return I will not have missed out on anything in fifth year. The camp will last from tomorrow until the end of September. I've got to pack. See you on October first.  
  
Love from  
  
Hermoine 


	2. Daydream Believer

CHAPTER TWO:  
  
  
  
"Come, come, we're going to be late!" called Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Mum! We're going as fast as possible!" yelled Ron.  
  
"Arthur dear, do you think he's going through that 'rebellious teenager stage' that Susan down at Gobbs was talking about?"  
  
"No, idea, Molly. No idea. Hard to tell, you know, seeing he does have a lot to live up to."  
  
Harry was first downstairs, dragging his trunk and Hedwig's cage behind him. Mr. Weasley rushed to take the trunk to the waiting car, and Harry followed. Hedwig squawked and ruffled her wings impatiently. Just then Ron came walking out of the house. He threw his trunk in the car and put Pidweigon in his cage. Ginny slowly walked out, followed by the others. She carefully placed her things in, and gave a frightened look at Harry before running to the door.  
  
"Why is your sister scared of me?" he asked Ron, who was fiddling with a bag of Owl Treats.  
  
"Dunno," he answered. "Famous Harry Potter and all that."  
  
"She never did it this much before."  
  
Ron shrugged.  
  
'Thanks, Ron, you're a big help." He said sarcastically, clapping Ron on the shoulder and smiling.  
  
They piled in the car and made their way to King's Cross. At Platforms nine and ten, they got in a unobvious single file line and swished through the barrier.  
  
After boarding the train, Harry pulled a letter out of his pocket, wondering what it was.  
  
"Oh.." he said to himself. "This is the letter from Hermoine, telling of the teacher camp." He showed it to Ron.  
  
"Why is she going there, anyway?"  
  
"Because she got a letter."  
  
"She could have come to Hogwarts and refused." He said gruffly.  
  
"Ron, don't be stupid. You know Hermoine would never pass up an opportunity like this! Especially if it has something to do with school."  
  
Ron just looked out the window.  
  
"Miss her, do you?" he said under his breath.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Before they knew it the train was pulling in to Hogsmeade station. They clambered out and headed for the horseless carriages .  
  
"Harry! Ron!" called a voice. Both boys turned. It was Neville Longbottom, a round-faced, forgetful boy and Seamus Finnigan, who was quite prone to making things explode.  
  
"Wait up!"  
  
All four of them piled into a carriage and it abruptly started to move down the trail. The ride seemed to last longer than usual, and when they finally stopped, the sky was growing dark. The filed into the Great Hall and sat down. The terrified first years walked in, nervously glancing at the high ceiling and the floating candles, the golden plates and goblets gleaming like always. They sat there, while the sorting was taking place, almost bored because they knew nobody.  
  
"C'mon… c'mon….c'mon…" Ron muttered, staring at his plate. The last student hopped off the stool and sat down, and the golden plates and goblets blossomed with food.  
  
"Wonder who our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is going to be?" wondered Harry, piling mashed potatoes on his plate.  
  
"Dunno, someone said Lupin would be back, but I doubt it." Added Ron, gulping some pumpkin juice.  
  
"Don't see anyone new," Neville said, searching the High Table.  
  
The feast ended too soon, and the Gryffindors headed up long flights of stairs. Harry and Ron's weren't even listening when a prefect spoke the password. All they had energy to do was slump upstairs to the fifth year boy's dorms, change, and fall into bed. It was going to be a long year. 


	3. I Ain't Missing You

(A/N: Stupid me, I forgot my disclaimers. Nothing belongs to me, it all belongs to my second mother JK Rowling, except for my ideas. Thanks for reviewing, and…I'm still writing.)  
  
  
  
The fifth year course schedules made their way to the end of the Gryffindor table, which was were Harry, Ron, Hermoine, Neville, Seamus, and Dean usually sat. Hermoine's seat lay empty, and to the surprise of everyone except Harry that morning, Ron spent all of breakfast not touching his food but staring across from him at the empty seat. All breakfast time the boys tried to persuade Ron to look up, but all they could get out of him was a grunt or two. When everyone rose to leave, Harry had to tug a bit on the back of Ron's robes to make him jump up and for the first time glance at his schedule.  
  
"Great…" said Seamus sarcastically, shoving his schedule in his bag. "Double Herbology…with the Slytheirns." He added hastily.  
  
Ron finally came back into reality.  
  
"Like we don't have enough classes with them anyway! Care of Magical Creatures, and Potions. Sprout only favors the Hufflepuffs, mostly. Except for you, Neville. She likes you."  
  
Neville turned pink.  
  
They hurried to the greenhouses. About fifty yards from greenhouse three, a group of giggling fourth year Ravenclaw girls passed them. One of them accidentally bumped Harry as she passed. The girl turned to apologize, but stopped. In fact, Harry and the girl stopped dead where they were, looking at each other.  
  
"Um, hi…" the girl trailed off. "You look oddly familiar. Have I met you before?"  
  
"Don't think so," answered Harry clearly.  
  
"Well, then. Alicia." She said, holding out her hand. Harry took it. "Alicia Flamel." They shook hands.  
  
"Harry," he said. "Harry Potter."  
  
Alicia's eyes went rather wide. But of course Harry was used to this.  
  
"Really? Aren't you the one who got the Sorcerer's Stone in your first year?"  
  
Harry looked confused.  
  
"How do you know about that?"  
  
She shrugged.  
  
"No one, really. But…my grandfather is…was Nicholas Flamel." 


	4. Investigations

"You're taking Advanced Transfiguration this year, right, Harry?" asked Neville as they slowly dragged their way to Potions.  
  
"Right."  
  
He had gotten an extra form with his Hogwarts letter, telling him that surprisingly his grades were barely high enough to be placed in Advanced Transfiguration. There would be excellent fourth years also, and maybe even the lucky third year. So far Harry was the only fifth year boy to be going, and he was absolutely sure that Hermoine would be attending later, but for now she was away. So he got to sit by himself that day in Advanced Transfiguration, with his book in front of him, his quill ready, and mind alert (for once). When Professor McGonagall bustled into the classroom, everyone got very quiet. Harry took a quick glance around the room, finding older pupils, but his eyes wandered to the corner, where a girl with auburn hair and the same exact green eyes as Harry was working diligently. It was Alicia Flamel. He never knew she was this smart, she was a fourth year. Harry hadn't even mastered the Daydream Charm (a charm that lets one interfere with another's daydreams and dreams) yet. She must have used the charm on him, because he couldn't stop thinking how familiar she looked. The class continued, and near the end McGonagall handed each student a form to fill out.  
  
"Seeing there are many different houses and years represented here today, this form is a 'get to know you' sort of thing. Fill this out, and at the end of class I will have…" she glanced around. "Harry Potter collect them."  
  
The Slytheirns glared at him, but this was to be expected. There were only three Slytheirns in the class. When the form-filling ended, Harry stood to collect the papers. He gathered all but Alicia's, who was far back in the corner. He approached her, and she handed him her paper, gathered her things, and then shockingly went to join one of the Slytheirns. He absentmindedly looked at the first line of the paper, which asked for your full, complete name. He stared. Her full name was Alicia Madelyn Flamel- Potter.  
  
* *  
  
"I swear on my Firebolt, Ron, Alicia's last name is hyphenated, and it's Potter!" Harry said excitedly, rushing to the dormitories after classes.  
  
"Really?" said Ron, eyes wide. "But…" he added," it could be just a coincidence."  
  
"Ron! How many people do you know with the last name of 'Potter'?"  
  
He stopped.  
  
"See? Come on!"  
  
Ron just sighed heavily and ran after Harry.  
  
When he caught up with him, his head suddenly snapped up, an owl was soaring down the hallways towards them. It swooped down and Ron caught a letter. It was Hermoine's hand. He ripped it open.  
  
Dear Ron and Harry,  
  
It's fabulous here at the teacher's camp. I've met loads of new people, and I'm learning a lot, too. I miss you both bunches. Sorry this is so short, we have a 'teachers meeting' in a quarter of an hour. See you on October first, and don't get any points taken from Gryffindor.  
  
Love from,  
  
Hermoine.  
  
"Don't worry Hermoine, we will." Said Harry, smiling, as Ron folded up the letter, what looked like smelled it, and placed it carefully deep inside his robes. All throughout the walk to Gryffindor tower Ron was patting his robe nervously, as though afraid the letter might suddenly fly away. Harry smirked at Ron knowingly. He just turned quite red and muttered the password, headed straight up to the dormitories, and put the letter in the pocket of his Muggle jacket. 


	5. FrontRow Seats

The alarm clock chimed, waking Harry and Ron from their peaceful slumber. They dressed slowly and went downstairs, where Ginny and a group of her friends were giggling and cutting up. The boys walked past them to the portrait hole and went down to breakfast. Tangerines and peaches were waiting, along with pitchers of ice-cold pumpkin juice and waffles with thick syrup. After a delicious breakfast, they made their way to Divination. They longed to drop it, but they had signed up, and it was permanent. They climbed the ladder and settled themselves in the stifling room.  
  
"Greetings, children." Said a misty voice, coming from the shadows.  
  
"Today we will be experimenting with complex tea leaf readings. Everyone acquire a cup, if you will, and I will fill it. Use your books, I will come 'round to assist you."  
  
Ron and Harry finally sat with their cups, gulped the boiling tea quickly, and turned over the tea cup, they then switched cups and went to the book.  
  
"It says here that you'll acquire great wealth in technology…" said Harry, his brow wrinkled. "But, then…if you turn it this way…it says you will lose all your money gambling."  
  
Ron grinned.  
  
"Either way is fine with me."  
  
Ron stared at Harry's cup.  
  
"This is weird.." he trailed off, staring harder. "It says that soon you will reunite with an old family member." He looked up.  
  
"Do you have a cousin you never told me about?"  
  
"How would I know?"  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"This rubbish isn't true anyway," Harry said, glancing at his watch and gathering up his books, preparing for the bell. "I don't have any family."  
  
The bell sounded and they climbed down and hurried to Care of Magical Creatures.  
  
By the time they had reached the sunny grounds, the bell had rang three times, a signal for everyone to return to the school. Harry looked at the sky, it was growing darker by the second(literally) so he and Ron rushed back into the castle. There was a big holdup, and Ron, the tallest, looked over the crowd to see what was going on. Suddenly there was a blast of music, and three girls came down the steps, singing.  
  
"Cheer up Sleepy Jean, oh what can it mean, to a daydream believer and a homecoming queen?"  
  
Ron gave Harry a confused look. The song continued and mostly everyone stayed to watch. They couldn't really see the girls properly, but they all looked in fourth year. One of them was Alicia.  
  
"this is so weird!" Harry said to himself. Ron heard.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I keep seeing Alicia everywhere!"  
  
Ron looked thoughtful.  
  
"Well, she does have your eyes…and it looks like your mom's hair, I've seen pictures. You don't suppose…"  
  
"No idea." 


	6. Is he a bitslow?

Harry was sitting in the common room late at night, working on a difficult essay for Advanced Transfiguration. Ron was playing chess with Ginny. Harry said he needed to go to the library, collected his books, and trekked to the library. Madam Pince was ill, so there was a special, large, tall stack of Transfiguration books outside the library door for those students. Harry sat down, pulled out his wand, and muttered "lumos" and a light appeared at the end of his wand. He heard two petite girly voices giggling from the opposite end of the book stack. He curiously looked around and saw, yet again, Alicia, and a fourth year Slytheirn girl. The girl had white-blond hair, pale skin, and icy blue eyes. She also looked remarkably familiar, but in a strange sort of way.  
  
"Alicia?" Harry said quietly.  
  
"I keep seeing you everywhere," they said together, then laughed.  
  
"Good job yesterday." Said Harry.  
  
"Oh, you saw?" said Alicia, her face going red. "It was just messing around, no body was supposed to know. It was Kayla's idea anyway," she said, indicating the blonde girl.  
  
"Alicia? Can I talk to you, over here?" said Harry pointing.  
  
"Sure."  
  
They walked to a corner and Harry said quietly, "Alicia, why are you hanging out with a Slytheirn?"  
  
She looked scandalized.  
  
"Because she's my best friend." She said coldly.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Just one other question,"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Is she…Slytheirn material?"  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Is she rude, snobby, evil…I could go on for hours."  
  
"No! she is the exact opposite! She was only put in Slytheirn because her brother is in it!"  
  
Alicia stalked back over to Kayla.  
  
Harry went to join them, and sat down in front of Kayla.  
  
"Hello," he said, holding out his hand to the frosty-eyed girl. "I'm Harry Potter. Who're you?"  
  
"Kayla Malfoy." She said, taking his hand and shaking it.  
  
Harry let go quite quickly.  
  
"….What did you say again? Kayla what?"  
  
"M-a-l-f-o-y," Kayla said slowly. "Malfoy." She turned to Alicia. "Is he a bit slow?"  
  
"Not that I know, " she muttered back.  
  
Harry slowly stood up, books in hand.  
  
"Well, I better be off," he said, still shocked." Don't' stay out too late," he said with a smirk.  
  
When he had left, Kayla said "He acts like your big brother."  
  
Alicia just shrugged.  
  
  
  
"Harry! Harry! Harry!"  
  
"What? Ron, it's 12:01 AM!" said Harry groggily, checking the clock.  
  
"Hermoine's coming today!"  
  
"But is she coming now?"  
  
"No…she's coming at two o' clock this afternoon."  
  
"So go back to bed."  
  
"I'm not tired."  
  
Harry sighed and sat up, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"Why do I care so much, Harry? Usually I like to sleep."  
  
"Because you're in love with her, Ron."  
  
"I am not!"  
  
"Are too."  
  
"AM NOT!"  
  
"Are too.  
  
"am not!"  
  
"are to."  
  
"Harry!"  
  
"Ron!"  
  
  
  
"SHUT UP!" yelled Seamus from his bed.  
  
"Sorry, Seamus." Harry whispered.  
  
'Seamus!" said Ron, running to Seamus's bedside. "Am I in love with Hermoine?"  
  
"Yes.." Seamus mumbled, shoving his face in the pillow.  
  
"See?" said Harry, smirking.  
  
  
  
After a late lunch Harry and Ron walked to the front doors to greet Hermoine. She walked up the steps with Hagrid, looking smarter than usual.  
  
"Hermoine!" called Ron, waving madly.  
  
'Hi, Hermoine!" Harry said, giving her a welcoming hug.  
  
"Hello, you guys." She said.  
  
"Here's your schedule, Hermoine." Said Ron, holding out the paper like a priceless treasure.  
  
'Thanks…oh, look! Care of Magical Creatures!"  
  
Hermoine got her bag out of Gryffindor tower and the three of them made their way to Care of Magical Creatures. They spotted three all-too familiar backs walking ahead of them. Malfoy's blonde hair reminded Harry of Kayla.  
  
"Yesterday I was at the library, and Alicia was there."  
  
"Alicia?" Hermoine asked.  
  
"Yeah, its kinda strange. Her full name is Alicia Flamel-Potter."  
  
Hermoine's eyes went wide.  
  
"Tell Hagrid I'll be late!" she said, running toward the castle.  
  
"Where's she going?"  
  
"Her sanctuary, the library."  
  
"Anyway, Alicia's best friend was there, she's' in Slytheirn. Her name is Kayla Malfoy."  
  
"Malfoy?" Ron repeated.  
  
"Yeah. I was surprised too, but Alicia says that she's the exact opposite of what a Slytheirn needs to be. She says the only reason Kayla got put in Slytheirn is because it runs in the family."  
  
Ron shook his head as they reached Hagrid's cabin. Hagrid grinned at the them, but his face fell when he saw that Hermoine wasn't there.  
  
"Wasn't Hermoine supposed to come back today?" he said in his rumbling voice.  
  
"She's at the library." Said Ron.  
  
"What's new." Said Hagrid, shrugging. 


	7. Suprises in the family

(A/N: thanks for all your reviews, guys. Oh, thanks for the spelling lessons, too. ( review more plleeeeeaaasssseee!! )  
  
Hermione raced back to Gryffindor tower, a heavy book in her bag, like always. She nearly yelled the password, ran up the dormitory, and flung open the fifth year boy's dormitory door, and saw that Harry and Ron weren't there.  
  
"Dean! Dean, where's Harry and Ron?"  
  
"Harry has Quidditch practice on Tuesdays, Hermoine.." Dean said, although he was worried about her sanity. "and Ron's gone to watch."  
  
Hermione didn't even say thank you, she darted out the front oak door and sprinted over to the Quidditch pitch. She dashed up the bleachers to where Ron was sitting. She threw herself down next to him and opened a large and dusty book.  
  
"Hermoine…" Ron began.  
  
"Shh! I'm looking for something!"  
  
she found the chapter she was looking for, "FAMOUS FAMILIES" and started flipping through it, muttering to herself.  
  
"the Moodys, Moch…they must be German…Saladinis…they must be Italian….ah! Potter!"  
  
Ron leaned in closer to get a better look. It was a large and old family tree.  
  
"Look!" Hermoine gasped, her finger tracing over all of the Mary's and Sarah's, Ryan's and Jason's, then finally found what they were looking for…the subsection marked "Godparents".  
  
"If Alicia said her grandfather was Nicholas Flamel...but that doesn't fit. There's no grandparents by the name of Flamel. But...there is a godparent by the name of Flamel…" she trailed off, looking at Ron, confused.  
  
"That means that…" Ron prompted.  
  
"if her full name is Alicia Madelyn Flamel-Potter, like it says in the book, then…she's been hiding under Nicholas Flamel's name!"  
  
"But why would she do that?"  
  
"I'm betting that Harry's mum and dad gave Alicia to the godparents, Nicholas and Pernelle Flamel to keep until You-Know-Who passed! But then, he came and killed them, tried to get Harry, but didn't succeed! No one knew about the second child, seeing as she was a newborn. So the Flamel's kept Alicia, put her under their name, unless You-Know-Who returned, and wanted to find and kill all the Potters! So, that's how Alicia knows about the Sorcerer's Stone, and who 'rescued' it, per say. But Lily and James wanted Alicia to keep the family name…it all fits!"  
  
"So what does that mean, exactly?"  
  
Hermione paused dramatically.  
  
"Harry has a sister."  
  
She slammed the book shut and ran out onto the field. She waved for Harry to come down, and Ron followed. Harry pulled his broom down so he could hover five feet in the air to see what she wanted. Suddenly he fell straight to the ground, with a sickening crunch. He sat, his hair even more untidier than usual, staring up at Hermione with a look of disbelief on his face. He straightened himself up and repeated the story to Hermione. She nodded, and Harry fell again, in a dead faint.  
  
  
  
Several hours later Harry awoke in the hospital wing, massaging the top of his head and looking around, blurry-eyed and confused. She could just barely make out the silhouettes of Ron and Hermione. He reached over for his glasses and everything came into sharper focus.  
  
"Hermione? Ron?" he said groggily. "what happened?"  
  
"You passed out, Harry," said Hermione softly, as Ron went for water.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"because I told you something that shocked you."  
  
"What did you tell me?"  
  
"That you had a sister, Alicia."  
  
Silence.  
  
Ron came back in.  
  
"he's passed out again?"  
  
"Yes." 


	8. Family Feud

(A/N: Hey guys, sorry this next chapter took so long. I've been away from ff.net for awhile, and my email changed, so I'm copying the story to my new account. Plus my brain's got to start up again. Vroom.vroom...here we go.)  
  
The next time Harry opened his eyes it was to find Ron and Hermione bending over a book, talking quietly. As he sat up, he heard the hospital wing door open and all three heads turned to see Alicia walk in, carrying something behind her back. Ron and Hermione's eyes followed her to Harry's bedside. Harry looked at her bewildered. "You may be wondering why I'm here," she said softly, pulling up a chair and sitting down. Harry nodded. "For one, I brought you something." She handed him a wrapped present. He pulled off the paper and held in his hands a notebook made of parchment. He glanced at Alicia quizzically. "Open it." She said. He opened to the inside cover and scanned the page. At the bottom left-hand corner there was a signature. Lily Evans. Harry stared, gaping at Alicia. "How did you get this?" he asked weakly. She looked him straight in the eye. "It was my mother's."  
  
after a few minutes of stunned silence from everyone, Kayla wandered in, earning strange looks from everyone. She nervously sat down next to Alicia and whispered "what's going on?" She didn't answer. The hospital wing door opened once more, and on the threshold stood Draco. Harry, Ron, and Hermione's eyes immediately narrowed. His cold gray eyes searched the room, until they landed on Kayla. "Kayla, we've had an owl, come at once." "But Draco, can't it wait, I'm-" "Kayla, I said come. You shouldn't be associating with these kind of people, anyway." He turned and walked away, Kayla reluctantly following. "Why are you friends with her?" Ron asked Alicia carefully. Alicia's eyes widened. "Because we met a couple years ago and hit it off." She shrugged. "why does that matter?" "Because...well, she's a Malfoy." Put in Harry "So?" " A Malfoy!" "And tell me, why does this matter?" "Because everyone knows the Malfoys are evil!" quipped Hermione. "Draco's father is a Death Eater, and their whole family has been in Slytherin." Alicia immediately got defensive. "All of the Malfoys are most definitely not evil!" she said hotly. "How do you know?" asked Ron with a smug look. "Because I happen to have spent a lot of time with Kayla since I met her, and she is now my best friend. Much like the three of you." Alicia retorted. Ron's faced dropped. "It doesn't matter whether she's a Slytherin or a Hufflepuff," said Alicia. "Whether she is wealthy or poor, whether she has the best broom or comes from a respectable family or not. She's my best friend and I would give anything to make her happy. I personally am shocked how narrow minded you can all be. To continue a feud that has been going on since before all of us were born? To not know the reason why you continue bickering? To be so immature as to at least treat the other with decent human courtesy? I had a better impression of Gryffindors.but I guess I was wrong." She stood , told Harry to have a quick recovery, then closed the door with a snap. Harry, Ron, and Hermione just thought in silence. "I suppose she's right," said Hermione thoughtfully after awkward silence has passed. "Do we really think that now is the time to start fighting with one another?" "Yeah," Harry agreed. "We should stick together." "What a thoughtful sentiment." Said Ron sarcastically. Harry gave him a sharp glance, Hermione did the same. "I'm sorry, but I still believe that they're evil!" "Well, duh, Ron, we don't know that for sure, but we can't assume anything." Said Harry wisely. "If it wasn't for your 'sister' it would have never started you two thinking about 'peace' and 'sticking together'. Face the facts! Life is never going to change between our families. We might as well get used to it. Sure, I can treat the worst person with common courtesy, but in my heart I know they don't deserve it. Excuse me, I have homework to finish" And with that he walked out of the hospital wing, slamming the door behind him. Harry turned to Hermione. "Are you next to leave?" "Nope," she said with a dazed smile. "I'm still here." "Good. Here, have a Chocolate Frog." He threw her a chocolate and they wasted away Harry's last afternoon in bed, eating through all his sweets and pondering over what to do next. 


	9. Romeo and Juliet

"What do you think we should do?" "Don't ask me." Alicia and Kayla were sitting on a bench, slurping lemonade that they had snuck in. "I cant help it if my 'brother' is discriminative." "So he really is your brother, then?" Alicia lowered her cup thoughtfully. "I suppose so, I mean, his friend Hermione Granger came up to me the yesterday and told me all clues pointed to us being siblings." "You're really going to listen to her?" "Why not, she's one of my brother's best friends." "Yes, but she's a." "A what?" "Well, a.a Gryffindor." Alicia rolled her eyes. "So?" "She's also a Muggle-born." "So?" Alicia repeated. "Do you really think she matters?" "of course she matters, why wouldn't she?" "One, she's a Gryffindor. Two, she's a Mudblood. Three, she's Harry Potter's friend." Alicia stared at her. "That's my brother you're talking about, you know." "Duh, Alicia." "So basically," said Alicia unbelievingly, "you're saying that I shouldn't listen to Hermione Granger because she's Muggle-born and a Gryffindor, right?" "Right." Alicia rolled her eyes and stood up. "You are exactly like your brother." "Who are you to make judgements? You've never really talked to Draco." "Likewise with Harry." Said Alicia, fuming inwardly. Kayla stopped drinking to glance at Alicia quickly. "So what are you saying?" "Kayla, you are 14!" Alicia exploded. "Its about time for you to start growing up! Stop following what everyone else says! Think for yourself! Stand up for your own opinions! Be mature, for one. Haven't you ever read 'Romeo and Juliet'?" "Alicia, that stuff's so old." "And yet so true! 'What's in a name? If a rose by which we call it was not, would it not smell as sweet?'. It doesn't matter what name you have! We don't need to divide now, not in the state which we are in! Don't you get it, Kayla? Grow up! Your vision of people is crowded by the one thing that has been pounded into your head since birth! That 'Muggle-borns are lowly'. Stand up for your thoughts, and control your actions!" She slammed her cup down and walked away, surprisingly calm, to go cool down.  
  
Kayla wandered to the Slytherin common room and plopped down in a large chair. Draco walked in. "We've had a package," he said, throwing a package into her lap. "How come I never get anything for just me?" she whined. Draco shrugged. "Ask Father." "You ask him." "Kayla, you're the one who brought it up." "Fine." "Fine."  
  
***  
  
Hermione and Ron were sitting in the common room doing homework one night when Ginny bounded down the stairs. "Hello hello!" she chirped. "Well," said Hermione, giggling. "you sure are peppy tonight." She shrugged. "Colin gave me some potion I don't know what it is, all I can remember it was red and bubbly he named it something with a P and I know it ended with the word 'potion' he said it was homework and he wanted to test it on someone he said that he looked up the side effects and it was nausea and headaches, but I can deal with those because Mum always has something to cure every sickness all I have to do is send her an owl anyway what are you doing? Oh, Charms. I have a question, is fifth year hard? I mean I've heard Percy talk about it but you know, Fred always said not to really listen to Percy, so what-" "Ginny!" said Ron. "Take a breath!" *****  
  
Harry woke up, and groggily looked at his clock. 4 o clock in the morning. He rolled his eyes and got up and went to the window for water. He turned at the sound of Ron's voice, which sounded sleepy. "Hermione, watch out for the holes, see, the forest animals, they make little holes in the ground and cover them with leaves. That's why you see people with sticks in the wood? They use it to test the holes.." Harry choked into his water. "Hermione, see the lake? This is the more clear part of America, we're in Colorado or something like that. If course you've read about Colorado! For Christmas someone should buy you the Oxford Library. And don't tell me you've already read through that, too." Harry started sniggering uncontrollably.but then Ron's tone changed. "Stop. Do you hear that?" Silence for a minute or two from Ron. "Shh, don't let him hear you." Ron was practically whispering now, Harry leaned forward to hear him properly. "Hermione, get down! Oh.no.please.not her." Ron was tossing back and forth in his bed, his face sweating. His tone was now pleading. "Please.not her, take me! Take me.take me.take me.take me.NOOOOOO!" Ron sat straight up in bed, his eyes bloodshot, sweating horribly, and looking wildly around, as though searching for a murderer. 


	10. Leroy Hancock

The next morning was a Monday. As Harry, Ron, and Hermione went down to breakfast, Ron told Hermione about the dream he had, with much detail.  
  
"So I was walking along, you know," said Ron. "And so out of nowhere comes this really bright green light, but I didn't really respond to it, you just collapsed to the ground.and I tried to revive you but you were.dead." He finished with a gulp.  
  
Hermione looked horrified.  
  
"Seriously?" she said, her jaw dropping. "But-why-how."  
  
"I wouldn't worry about it though." Said Harry. "But I've got a question for you, Ron. Why didn't the light kill the both of you?"  
  
Ron looked puzzled. "Good question.hard to answer that one. I can't control my mind when I sleep."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and sat down at the Gryffindor table.  
  
Alicia walked by, giving Harry a small smile as she passed. Harry smiled back.  
  
"I wonder why she's not with Kayla" he wondered out loud.  
  
"What?" said Ron, looking over at him from where he was talking with Hermione.  
  
"Nothing, never mind."  
  
"Alright." And he went back to talking.  
  
Some first years from Hufflepuff passed, gawking and pointing at Harry's forehead.  
  
They went down to Care of Magical Creatures slowly, it was a sunny and breezy September day, and half of the class was already at Hagrid's hut, standing in a tight circle. As Harry, Ron and Hermione approached them, they turned quickly and stopped talking when Harry walked up. He spotted Dean and Seamus, talking quietly to Lavender. Harry walked over to them, Ron and Hermione not far behind.  
  
"Seamus," said Harry. "What's going on?"  
  
"Didn't you read it? It was in the Daily Prophet this morning." He pulled out a paper and handed it to Harry.  
  
You-Know-Who said to be in Britain  
  
Officials state that last week they sent a worker out to test soil fertilization in Midwest Britain and that the employee never returned. Rescue workers were shipped to the scene to find the man dead, with no marks of any kind and DNA tests prove he was in perfect health. No wands were around the outskirts of the forest in which he was testing, and no scorch marks on trees. The only predication is that the employee, Leroy Hancock, was murdered on the day of September 3. His wife responds to the accident: "I'm sure it was You-Know-Who. Who else could it be? It all happened so suddenly.I cant imagine what Leroy was thinking when You-Know-Who attacked." Sadly, Leroy left behind a wife, Cheryl, and two children, David and Dana.  
  
"Wow." said Hermione.  
  
"You're telling me." Said Ron, trailing off. 


	11. Deadly Invitations

Harry, Ron and Hermione went outside the next night because Seamus had told them that there was "an owl on fire, hanging onto the side of the Owlrey." When they arrived and saw the sky empty, they were peeved but decided to stay outside, because it was a lovely night and there was nothing else to do. The conversation wasn't exactly what you would call stimulating. Hermione was the lead of the conversation when it switched to academics, and Harry and Ron fell into a deep stupor until she was finished. When she realized they weren't paying attention, she got huffy and didn't speak to them for a couple of minutes. But then the conversation turned to the article they had read a few days before.  
  
"So do you really believe the article?" asked Hermione quizzically, her brow wrinkled.  
  
"I don't know." Harry trailed off. "What do you think, Ron? .Ron? Ron!"  
  
He looked beside him; Ron was gone.  
  
Hermione stood up, looking wildly around. "Where could he have got to?"  
  
  
  
Ron was walking slowly toward the Forbidden Forest, a red tint in his eyes, totally oblivious to whatever was around him. He stopped at the edge of the Forest  
  
"I am here, my Lord."  
  
"Well done, servant. Where is he?"  
  
Ron was fighting the Imperious Curse. His mind switched from himself to someone else at the speed of light, and soon Ron was on his knees on the damp September soil, gasping for breath, clutching his head, and screaming into the night.  
  
Hermione was the first to hear the noise from across the grounds. She spun on her heel and faced the Forest, squinting into the blackness. Harry came up beside her and also searched within the darkness for the source of the noise. They crept forward until they reached Hagrid's hut, which they hid behind, trying to decipher the shapes they saw. "Where is he?" the cold, sharp voice asked again, more impatient than the first time.  
  
"I-I- don't know."  
  
"You lie."  
  
"N-no, I-I'm telling the t-t-truth! H-honest!"  
  
"Liar. I will not be falsely credited."  
  
"I gave chances, Weasley. You don't deserve to live."  
  
"Please-don't.give me another chance, my Lord!"  
  
"Lord Voldemort gives one chance and one chance only. I was gracious because you are of youth. Your judgement has come."  
  
Ron's head went down.  
  
"Is he over there?" whispered Hermione, tugging at Harry's sleeve.  
  
"I don't know!" he answered, tiptoeing forward toward the darkness.  
  
They both crept silently to the edge of the Forest. They heard strained voices and headed in that direction. Here and there they caught snatches of the conversation.  
  
"I am extending an invitation." Came a sharp voice.  
  
"A-An I-I-invitation.?"  
  
"To join me."  
  
"J-join you? Never!"  
  
"Never?"  
  
"Never."  
  
"Let it be so, then."  
  
Ron's mind altered. "Wait.."  
  
a cruel smile appeared on the man's face.  
  
"Fine then."  
  
"I'll do it."  
  
"Good."  
  
"What should I start with?"  
  
"Get me Harry Potter." 


	12. I Care

"I hate that class," said Hermione, slamming her books down on a desk in the library the next week.  
  
Ron and Harry started.  
  
"What."  
  
"It's so.uninformative. I mean, all we do is worksheets, and its tiring copying out of the book! There is no practical lessons, its all bookwork - "  
  
"Hermione!" said Ron, cutting her off. "You love bookwork. You worship bookwork. I'm surprised you don't have a shrine by now."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Ron, don't be stupid." She said, crossing her arms and sitting down. "Where would I put one?"  
  
Ron smirked.  
  
"Well, well. Look who it is." Said a cold voice from the bookshelf across from their table. "Pothead and his little sidekicks."  
  
"Shove off, Malfoy." Said Harry angrily.  
  
"Make me."  
  
He stepped out from the bookshelf with a large black book in his hand, smirking broadly with his two cronies Crabbe and Goyle walking clumsily behind him. He stopped and sat down at a table opposite the trio, and started whispering to Crabbe and Goyle from behind the thick book.  
  
Hermione stood up. "I don't want to be here if they're going to be here." She started gathering her things quickly.  
  
"Hermione, wait!" Ron hissed. "You don't want to make them think that they ran you off, do you?"  
  
"Personally Ron, I don't care." And with that she walked briskly out of the library, her arms full of books and probably headed for the spacey common room.  
  
"Do you want to leave, too?" asked Harry.  
  
"No." said Ron, glancing sideways at the three Slytherins.  
  
Harry shook his head quizzically at Ron.  
  
"Well, I'm leaving."  
  
"Knock yourself out."  
  
"You mean you don't want to come with me? Because I don't care either"  
  
"Not especially."  
  
"Alright." Harry trailed off. He stood, and, still glancing worriedly at Ron, strode out of the library to the common room.  
  
"Yeah, well. I care." Said Ron under his breath. 


	13. Fight some bad guys

"So let me get this straight."  
  
"Sure," called Ron, walking in circles at the bottom of the girl's stairs, waiting for Hermione to finish getting dressed.  
  
"You're saying that there's no way Muggle Monopoly could teach you anything?"  
  
"Exactly. Who goes around buying streets and hotels? Who do you know that gets all of that money in three turns?"  
  
"You're crazy," said Hermione, coming down the stairs. "It gives one good money management skills and can even prepare for a career in negotiation and business."  
  
"I think you need to stop talking like an encyclopedia and be a fifteen- year-old girl."  
  
"Shh, look who's up there." Hermione glanced down the stairs interestedly. Ron took a quick look and saw two shadows, one taller than the other, and they seemed to be arguing quietly.  
  
"Who is it?" Ron whispered.  
  
"Shh!"  
  
Hermione gradually crept down the stone steps one by one, and as she came closer, she slowly began to hear and recognize the quarreling voices.  
  
".teach your sister those things."  
  
"What am I supposed to do, Alicia?" came Draco's voice, more malicious and hateful than ever.  
  
"You're her role model, you shouldn't be teaching her prejudice and bias," hissed Alicia.  
  
"Listen, I am not her father and she has her own life to live, let her make her own decisions and stop trying to protect her." Draco stormed into the Potions classroom while Alicia glared after him and strode the opposite direction.  
  
Ron turned to Hermione, who looked deep in thought, staring at the spot where they had both been.  
  
"Odd.Alicia and Malfoy?"  
  
"No, not exactly odd." Hermione said, still staring at the stone floor. She broke her thought and went down the stairs and into the classroom. Ron shook his head and followed her into the cold classroom.  
  
Snape's twisted voice echoed across the classroom. "Ten points from Gryffindor, Weasley."  
  
Ron's head snapped up. "Why?"  
  
"I will not accept your tardiness any longer."  
  
"Professor, I wasn't late."  
  
"Don't give me excuses."  
  
"But, Professor-"  
  
Snape's black eyes drilled into Ron as he spoke in barely more than a whisper of his cruel voice. "The next thing you say will cost you detention, Weasley. I suggest you keep your mouth shut."  
  
When Snape turned away Ron shot him a hateful glare and opened his book roughly, slammed his cauldron on the table, and began working haphazardly.  
  
"Ron," Harry whispered softly across the table. "If you don't calm down you're going to break something."  
  
"Yes," quietly chirped Hermione. "I've been looking into some Muggle medical books, and it says that studies show that people with short tempers usually end up in abusive relationships and bad marriages."  
  
Ron's angry look changed into a mixed glance of confusion and admiration.  
  
"You should write a book."  
  
"No thank you. I'm becoming an Auror." "Oh you are, are you?" said Harry sarcastically, putting gecko eyeballs into his potion.  
  
"Who said I couldn't? I'll fight some bad guys."  
  
Ron sniggered. "Fight some bad guys?"  
  
"What?" she responded, blushing slightly.  
  
Even Harry gave her a wavering look. "Bad guys?"  
  
Hermione sighed heavily. "What is the big deal? It was just a phrase!"  
  
"Yeah. A totally non-Hermione phrase. Whoever thought you would use such a simple term as 'bad guys'?" said Ron, shaking his head.  
  
"Shut up and add your goat hairs." 


End file.
